Salinas native, Army drone pilot killed in Afghanistan

Jan. 21, 2014

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli / Provided

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Under the Dome - The Blog

Folks, I’ve got very sad news from the continuing War on Terror overseas. U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli was shot and killed Monday after his camp was overrun by enemy forces in Afghanistan, family members said.

Balli, 43, was born and raised in Salinas and was a career military officer, according to his uncle, Tony Virrueta, a spokesman for American Legion Post 31 in Salinas and a former U.S. Army Ranger himself.

“He really died doing what he loved,” Virrueta said. “He was so proud of his service and he was so proud of his role in defending our country.”

Virrueta said that Balli was a pilot of unmanned aerial vehicles for the Army and was forward-deployed at the time of his death.

“From what we were told today, it appears that his camp was overrun by the enemy. He succumbed to a stomach wound,” Virrueta said.

Balli was on his fifth tour of duty at the time of his death. Previously, he served two 15-month tours in Iraq before being transferred to Afghanistan. Balli was a member of the Army’s elite Air Cavalry.

Virrueta said family members on Tuesday were traveling back to Dover (Del.) Air Force Base in order to receive and escort Balli’s body to California. His casket is expected to be flown to Monterey Airport sometime later this week.